ESU's Fezza earns All-American honors

JOPLIN, Mo. — Senior Frank Fezza became East Stroudsburg University's first All-American in men's cross country since 1986, placing 21st at the NCAA Division II Championships on Saturday at Missouri Southern University.

Comment

By Staff reports

poconorecord.com

By Staff reports

Posted Nov. 18, 2012 at 12:01 AM

By Staff reports

Posted Nov. 18, 2012 at 12:01 AM

» Social News

JOPLIN, Mo. — Senior Frank Fezza became East Stroudsburg University's first All-American in men's cross country since 1986, placing 21st at the NCAA Division II Championships on Saturday at Missouri Southern University.

Fezza, the PSAC and Atlantic Region runner-up, led the Warriors to 25th in a field of 32 schools in their first trip to the NCAA Championships since 1989. He is the first All-American since Jack Cuvo (1985-86) and joined Cuvo and Pete Heesen (1975-76) as the only All-Americans in program history.

Fezza ran a time of 30:08.2 on the 10K course after clocking 30:53.4 in the Atlantic Regional at Lock Haven two weeks ago. He was the runner-up to Lock Haven's Alex Monroe in both the PSAC and regional meets and one of four All-Americans from the PSAC, joining Monroe (5th), Shippensburg's Matt Gillette (17th) and Edinboro's Bryan Deibel (19th).

Senior Jim Romano was the Warriors' second finisher, placing 117th with a time of 31:40.9. Romano was fifth on the team at both the PSAC and regional meets.

KUTZTOWN — Senior Kimberly Lawson and sophomore Karoline Vavra both won three events and East Stroudsburg University won four of five relays to finish first of five schools at the Kutztown Golden Bear Invitational on Friday and Saturday.

Lawson won the 100 fly (1:01.14), 100 back (1:03.89) and 200 back (2:14.66) and Vavra won the 50 free (25.40), 100 free (55.06) and 200 free (2:01.37). Junior Allison Schafer won the 500 free (5:21.69) and senior Sami Vavra won the 100 breast (1:08.92).

Lawson also contributed to all four winning relays - the 200 free, 400 free, 200 medley and 400 medley. Sami Vavra was part of the 200 free and 200 and 400 medleys, and Karoline Vavra was on the 200 and 400 free and 400 medley relay.

The 200 free relay of Karoline Vavra, Sami Vavra, junior Andrea Tremper and Lawson won in 1:41.34, and the 400 free relay of Lawson, freshman Sophie Coy, Tremper and Karoline Vavra won in 3:45.42.

Schafer was second in the 1650 free (18:49.50) and third in the 200 fly (2:21.48), along with winning the 500 free. Her time in the 1650 free is the fastest since the program was reinstated in 1995.

Sami Vavra was second in the 200 back (2:17.44) along with winning the 100 breast. Coy was second in the 200 IM (2:17.93) and 200 breast (2:33.93), Tremper was second in the 50 free (25.49) and third in the 100 free (56.27) and sophomore Shelby Stalnaker was second in the 100 back (1:05.74).